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A listing of all previous featured articles by the month and year. =2007= August, 2007 – Kalja Sairu Leidias Kalja Sairu Leidias (11 BBY) is the latest in a long line of Kaljas to bear that name. Daughter of Falanis and Tulsar Leidias, and a member of the Leidias Family, Kalja comes from a strong Jedi lineage and may surpass her ancestors as one of the greatest Leidias' to ever live. She is currently a member of the Jedi Council and the youngest to ever be given a seat, a feat that would be echoed later by Danolie Notorious. Kalja possesses a natural affinity for the Force, seeming to understand it on a level beyond many other Jedi. The most astonishing thing is how clearly she could feel it before she was ever trained in the ways of the Jedi. Her training was merely giving form to something she already understood subconsciously. Because she has such a deep connection to the Force, Kalja goes out of her way to avoid violence and especially killing. Her sensitivity to the Force means that she feels the pain and death of others more acutely than other Jedi. With the galaxy in such turmoil, she finds she must consciously restrain her natural awareness and rarely opens herself up completely to the Force unless absolutely necessary. For the longest time, Kalja refused to have anything to do with lightsabers. She saw them as weapons that could nothing else but beget more violence. Through the patient insistence of her father, Kalja was eventually convinced to construct her own when she saw how useful it could be as a tool. However, she refused to learn any lightsaber style other than the defensive form of Soresu and remained adamant on that point until she received a shield gauntlet from her friend, Devon Vos. The unique device spurred her into developing her own form, known as Sairu. Despite this, Kalja rarely takes out her lightsaber unless it’s to train or if she has no other choice. Never one for formal titles, Kalja has a quirk of referring to everybody she meets by their first name. This even extends to her parents. She does this not out of disrespect, but because she believes everyone is equal in status when it comes to the larger scheme of things. Although she has been given the title of Jedi Master by Daer'Gunn, Kalja still thinks of herself as a Jedi Knight because she isn't comfortable with the idea of calling herself a Master yet, despite having earned it in the eyes of many others. July, 2007 – Jerik Blackthorne Jerik Blackthorne is one of two sons to Cadden Blackthorne. He and Guan were birthed from cloning cylinders, just like their half-brothers Caius and Xanic. Like their half-brothers, they themselves are not clones of either Cadden, their father, or their mother, Renalla. Rather, they were test-tube birthed. Due to unknown circumstances, their aging was, as a result, accelerated until puberty, after which the process stabilized to normal levels. The reasons for this are, to-date, unknown, and perhaps deliberate. More powerful than his brother, he is not as clear-minded as Guan. Yet he is still concise and adept at making tactical decisions, often leading to victory. Inhertiting his father's genes as a warrior, he seldom speaks, and when he does it is when he is spoken to or if he has something important to say. He sees his lightsaber as a tool, used to enhance his combat powress, rather than as a weapon he should rely on. Jerik practices relentlessly in melee combat technique, focusing on his lightsaber, and holds a high chance of besting others in his class in a duel. His abilities to use the Force are more of enhancements for his other physical abilities, and as such will not usually use it as his weapon, but as a way to get things done. This makes Jerik a deadly lightsaber duelist, and a good ally to have on one's side. Alongside his brother, Jerik has had an adventurous life since he left Ronu III. The day they were brought to their father, they have encountered more trouble, more adventures, than he dared to count. However, those days ended when Cadden departed from the two to Mandalore, and since then Jerik has joined the Jedi Order's cause. He and his brother are currently stationed on Taylon, in the City of the Jedi, having survived the Cylon Imperium's attack on the world and a near-successful Xen'Chi assault not too long after. Surviving the battle, Jerik formed the Guardians of the Force with his brother, but his arrogance got the better of him and, unlike Guan, he left for Onderon shortly after the battle that ocurred there. June, 2007 – Nashka Nashka (27 BBY), more infamously known as the “Green Shadow,” is one of the galaxy’s most deadly assassins. Since the time he was capable of coherent thought, Nashka has trained and studied to become a master of his craft. Highly intelligent, skilled, and resourceful, Nashka is nearly impossible to surprise or deter once he is on the job. If at all possible, he prefers to kill at a distance to minimize the threat to himself and the chance of pursuit. Appropriately, he is a skilled marksman and has an encyclopedic knowledge of poisons and explosives. He may often observe his quarry for weeks or even months before finally carrying out the hit to see to it that the job goes as smoothly as possible. He is also more than capable of handling himself in a close-quarters fight, where he can call upon various styles of martial arts or the small arsenal of poisoned vibroblades he keeps hidden on his person at all times. He has been the former head of a cadre of assassins known as the Dinkos and also a Vigo in Black Sun during the time of Xizor. Currently he is strictly freelance and will take any job depending on if the client can meet his exorbitant fees. One of Nashka's recent quirks is to hunt down and kill assassins who may have worked under him the past but have now snapped. His reputation is very important to him and he dislikes the thought of insane killers having their names attached to his. May, 2007 – Hoersch-Kessel Drive Hoersch-Kessel Drive, Inc. was a successful and well-known starship manufacturer during the days of the Galactic Republic at least as early as 4,000 BBY. It was later a subsidiary of the Trade Federation and produced numerous vehicles for the Trade Federation, including the Lucrehulk-class battleship. After the Trade Federation's defeat at the Battle of Naboo, the company was first sold to Duros investors, and, during the Clone Wars, to a Nimbanese clan. Hoersch-Kessel Drive helped produced starships for the Confederacy of Independent Systems along with the Free Dac Volunteers Engineering Corps, which included the Recusant-class light destroyer and the Munificent-class star frigate. In an attempt to make HKD more profitable, its Nimbanese owners closed down the corporation, shutting down hundreds of factories and entire design divisions. This drove many designers and engineers away from the corporation, further weakening the company. Ownership of HKD changed many times between the Clone Wars and the end of the Galactic Civil War. In late 12 ABY, Hoersch-Kessel Drive was taken over by a consortium of Durese and Balmorran business men, and returned to its roots producing transports and container ship, though it was still unprofitable and produced fewer than a hundred starships a year. Eventually, the businessman Dave Killian, hitherto owner of Killian Arms was appointed CEO in an effort to turn the tide. Killian indeed managed to turn the tide, and with several large sales, he brought HKD about. Though still the smallest of the 'big' shipyards, Hoersh-Kessel Drive is once again moving up. April, 2007 – Vra Vra is a former slave, raised in a mining camp by an old Arkanian mystic after his parents' death. Though he would spend sixteen years in the camp, he would eventually escape only days before the slavers abandoned their base. After a year-long journey across half the galaxy, traveling from one world to another, Vra would eventually find his way to Onderon, and stumble upon the first gathering of a new Jedi Order. March, 2007 – Venator-class Star Destroyer Called a Star Destroyer, the Venator-class is more akin to a fleet carrier than a true Star Destroyer. It lacks the heavy armament of its successors as well as dedicated ground assault forces, focusing mainly on starfighter combat. Although the Empire largely phased the Venator out in favor of the Imperator-class Star Destroyer after the Clone Wars, the ship still sees service in Imperial fleets as a more powerful version of the common Escort Carrier. February, 2007 – Xanic Wyn Xanic Wyn is the son of two Jedi Knights, Cazzik Wyn and Renalla Starrider. He wasn't born the conventional way. Both he and his brother, Caius, were actually grown in cloning cylinders, though they aren't clones. Their mother, after leaving the Jedi Order, used samples of her own and her ex-fiance's DNA to create them. She wanted to preserve the Wyn name by creating Jedi Knights loyal to the light, unlike their father. She had originally left because she felt Cazzik slipping into darkness. Xanic and Caius spent fifteen years with their mother on a barren planet called Ronu III, training in the ways of the Force. Renalla died of a mysterious disease and the two boys spent the next three years alone on the planet, training themselves. One day, by accident or will of the Force, Cazzik along with the Bothan Jedi Master, Xanamiar Knight, showed up on the planet. They took the boys and Caius and Xanic finished their Jedi training with their father. Over time, Xanic desired more power, true power, and left his father in search of someone who could give it to him. Eventually, he became known as the Dark Jedi Master Kamulos, and formed the Cylon Imperium. However, his thirst for power would ultimately be his demise, as he would eventually be killed in battle by his own brother. However, this was not the end of Xanic Wyn, as he had taken measures to elude death. Bringing his spirit back from the netherworld, he inhabited a clone of himself he had kept in stasis in a remote, hidden base. The resurrection came with a terrible price, as his rebirth stripped him of his abilities to use the Force. Xanic, now freed of the Dark Side's influence, took on a new identity, Strife, and sought out redemption for past sins as a hero and legend. January, 2007 – AT-AT Walker The largest war machine to ever grace a battlefield, the AT-AT, also commonly called the Imperial Walker, is to a ground battle what a Star Destroyer is to a space battle. Heavily armed and armored, the AT-AT can wade through battlefields with near impunity. The mere sounds of its footsteps have been known to send enemy troops running in fear long before it comes within visual range. The AT-AT is a highly versatile vehicle, able to operate in almost any environment and almost any condition. It can be used as a heavy assault craft, a troop transport, a command vehicle, or a combination of all three. AT-AT’s have been deployed with great effectiveness in countless battles, the most notorious being the Battle of Hoth. Although it has been often imitated by other groups, nothing built to date can match the sheer power of the AT-AT walker. =2006= December, 2006 – Dorset Konig Dorset Konig (26 BBY) is a renowned and formidable human Jedi Master trained by Cazzik Wyn who is the last descendant to an ancient and powerful family of Jedi Knights, philosophers, and Corellian nobility. The son of Lucien and Alina Konig, Dorset was born on Corellia years before the outbreak of the Clone Wars as the second of three children. His uncle, Alric Konig, was a famous Jedi Knight who served with distinction throughout the conflict and was killed at the closing battle of the Siege of Saleucami, not long before the start of the events that would begin the Great Jedi Purge. Like many other Jedi with strong hereditary traits Dorset was born Force Sensitive, but did not "come of age" and discover his power for the first time until the age of nine. Since then Dorset has recovered and continued his family's Jedi heritage, started a family of his own, becoming a cunning swordsman and Force user of exceptional strength, notable archeologist, linguist, and one-time businessman. November, 2006 – Barabel The Barabel are a powerful reptilian race of carnivores that hail from Barab I. They are often highly aggressive, but have a unique honor system imparted to them by contact with the Jedi Order thousands of years ago. However, Barabels often treat non-Jedi with belligerence although they do show respect to others who have proven themselves as warriors. While fearsome to non-Barabel, they are typically very close and protective of their families or mates. One of the most remarkable aspects of a Barabel’s body are their thick keratin scales which serve several functions. These scales make a Barabel immune to stun blasts as well as provide an excellent defense against basic melee weapons. They also help to give Barabel a certain amount of protection against radiation as their original purpose was to shield them from the intense rays of Barab I’s sun. The scales provide one more purpose by working in conjunction with a layer of fat to give the cold-blooded Barabel enough insulation to move unfettered in environments that would have other reptilians feeling sluggish. Barabels are divided into several clans that span the planet. The largest and most prestigious of these clans have representatives in the only city on Barab I, Alater-ka. A clan’s ranking can often be decided by the nightly hunts. The most impressive kills are traded to a rival clan as a way of demonstrating that clan’s prowess. In this way, the Barabel have avoided open clan war for generations. Many Barabel prefer to stay on their home planet and live as they have for generations, but a large number of them have also ventured offworld to make names for themselves in several violent vocations such as bounty-hunting. While technically primitive, Barabel are highly intelligent and adapt quickly to modern technology. They are warriors, born and raised, and have already left an indelible mark on the galaxy despite being relative newcomers to the galactic scene. October, 2006 – Black Star Confederacy The '' Black Star Confederacy '' was founded some time around 2,000 BBY as the Fuller Republic. Its founders were 100,000 human colonists, who had inadvertedly swirved off course, and crashlanded on the planet Fuller. At first, the colonists spread across only one of the three continents, building farms and mines. Within six months, the first large town, Fuller City, was founded. Factories and airports shot up around Fuller City, and by the end of the first year, the elected leader, the Pro-Consul, declared the founding of the Fuller Republic. Shortly after, the term 'Fulleri' was coined as a reference to the citizens of the Republic. For the next 500 years, the Fulleri prospered. They quickly re-invented the hyperdrive and other common technologies, and began to colonize the other two habitable planets in the system, Killian and Yril. The resulting wealth benefitted every Fulleri, as the government generously spent the wealth on public services. But as the wealth grew, some Fulleri turned to piracy. Between 1,600 BBY and 1,591 BBY, the number of pirate attacks soared. In response, the government founded the Killian Shipyards on the planet Killian. KS soon began building escort ships to guard against the pirates, which slowly decreased the number of attacks. But the worst was yet to come... September, 2006 – Starlight Sled The Starlight Sled is a YT-2000 that belongs to the Corellian explorer Tav Garvin and his faithful droid, Quex. Like almost every freighter built by CEC, the Sled is extensively modified to better suit Tav's skills and tastes. In addition to the usual upgrades to the weapons, shields, and engines the Sled is equipped with an advanced sensor suite to assist Tav in his preferred occupation of exploration. The ship was not always Tav's however. At first it belonged to Dorval the Hutt and went under the name: Tasty Snack. Tav acquired it after Dorval hired Tav to scout out new planets for him so that he could be the first Hutt to exploit their resources. Things did not go as planned as a near hyperspace collision forced Tav to land on the planet Durden. After a series of events on the planet, Tav was finally able to limp the ship back to Dorval. However the Snack was in such bad shape by that time that Tav was able to simply buy the battered YT-2000 from Dorval at a discount (not to mention being indebted to do a few jobs for the Hutt on the side). Since that time, Tav and Quex have spent countless hours and credits upgrading the ship into the vessel it is today. They keep it in top condition even though it runs counter to Tav's profession and lifestyle. Tav's reasoning is that the Sled has saved his butt more times than he can count and he owes the ship the very best. August, 2006 – Cadden Blackthorne Cadden Blackthorne (19 BBY) was born at the end of the Clone Wars, to Faarel and Trina Blackthorne. Since then, he has developed into a strong individual, and become quite the formidable warrior. Being only about thirty-five standard years of age, he has grown into a powerful man, a powerful Jedi, as well as the leader of the Mandalorian Protectors. Cadden is gifted with the heightened awareness to the Force, and the wake which others leave behind within it. This allows Cadden to be able to feel other people's presence from days gone by, and if the wake is "fresh" enough, and Cadden's connection to the person who formed it is strong enough, he can follow it in pursuit of the individual. Cadden has an ongoing struggle with the dark side of the Force. The Nomad Soul and the Dark Jedi Teslar Maladan both took interest in him, but both for their own separate reasons. During his entire life, Cadden has served as a mercenary and, most notably, a bounty hunter. In recent times, he has traveled to Mandalore, where he had acquired the trust of the Mandalorian people, and has become the new Mandalore. With his skills as a bounty hunter and warrior augmented by his abilities as a Jedi and a strong foundation in the Force, Cadden has constructed himself into a fierce warrior and spirited individual. However, in recent times, Cadden has fallen to the Dark Side in pursuit of additional power, to aid him in the quest to avenge his father's death. This pursuit lead hastily to a well-conceived plan by the Nomad Soul to take over Cadden's body, a plan which had partially failed, and instead the two merged their souls into a single identity. Knowing he could never return to the Jedi Order, Cadden set out on his own, with but one ally to accompany him.